1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
every year, we make up a basket of food at Thanksgiving for a poor family in the neighborhood
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
land that is too poor for farming
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3
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
a poor crop because of the drought this year
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4
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
a pretty poor musician, even for a garage band
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5
as in terrible
of low quality
the poor workmanship of the goods from that store
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6
as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
aw, the poor kitten hurt its paw
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poor
Though the disease is not known to spread to people, the CDC recommends against consuming meat from infected deer, and Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials said people should not eat meat from animals that look sick or in poor condition.
—
Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
But even though both men have played fairly well this season, the Dolphins' defense has been poor.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Dogs are often bred repeatedly in poor conditions, left sick or injured, and treated as products instead of living beings.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Danielle Lawrence, executive director of Mutual Assistance Network, works to ensure the social safety net supports poor and working-class families in Arden Arcade, Del Paso Heights and other North Sacramento neighborhoods.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poor
Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
But even though both men have played fairly well this season, the Dolphins' defense has been poor.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Dogs are often bred repeatedly in poor conditions, left sick or injured, and treated as products instead of living beings.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Danielle Lawrence, executive director of Mutual Assistance Network, works to ensure the social safety net supports poor and working-class families in Arden Arcade, Del Paso Heights and other North Sacramento neighborhoods.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poor
Adjective
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The film, which world premiered in the Berlinale’s Perspectives sidebar, follows an impoverished but determined family put to test when the father, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is accused of murder.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
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Sanctions have crippled the government’s primary source of revenue, oil exports, limiting the state’s ability to provide for millions of impoverished Iranians through social safety nets.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Bir Tawil, for instance — a desolate parcel of desert on the Egyptian-Sudanese border.—
Richard Collett,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
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To find the killer, Sherlock Holmes and Watson will have to brave desolate moors before a family curse dooms the newest heirs.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As housing remains scarce, pricey, and out of reach, the share of first-time home buyers has hit an all-time low.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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Cost of living is raging, high-paying job opportunities are scarce, and layoffs are on the rise.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Denying people the essentials necessary for their survival, to obtain compliance or a political agreement, should be unacceptable.—
Anna Halford,
Time,
25 Oct. 2025
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Controversy arose earlier this year after residents, a council member and the mayor declared a cooling station set up for homeless residents and others without adequate heating and cooling as unacceptable.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There have always been fascist forces, there have always been people who are just terrible in the American government, but at the same time, there are always people who have resisted, and there are always people who have still found ways to create joy, to create life, to create art, despite these.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Marchand’s terrible week ended with joy.—
Adam H. Beasley,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Yet Plemons imbues him with despair, finding a pitiful fragility in his aggression.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
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Jerry Jeudy has struggled, and the depth behind Jeudy has been pitiful.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Betty Jo — who was dead broke until an hour ago — would have told Frank about Arthur for, say, half a big ol’ bag of cash.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
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Margaret Qualley, as the former A-lister's younger self, also goes for broke in a film that's a disturbing, hilarious and jaw-dropping hoot.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whatever your candy preference, no one wants to spend the evening strolling barren streets hoping to find some goodies.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
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An arid, barren landscape with extreme temperature swings from 45 to -40 degrees Celsius (113 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit).—
Rosanna Philpott,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poor. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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